Do other species really know how to speak or, at least, communicate with us in their own way?
Australia-based diver Iñaki believed this to be true after his perilous yet magical encounter with a shark just off Byron Bay.
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This a story of what stewardship really means and how we are all meant to live with each other despite the reputation we’ve built around certain species.
Iñaki’s business takes guests up close and personal to the marine species of Byron Bay.
In one such scuba tour, Iñaki was with four divers when they encountered a shark. It is common to see sharks on this side of the sea but what was uncommon was a length of string coming out of its mouth.
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Curious, Iñaki swam closer to investigate the string in the shark’s mouth. When it turned, the shark revealed that its mouth is blocked by a fishing net.
Without a real way to remove the net by itself, there’s a real possibility that the shark can die.
It will have a hard time feeding and the string can pose a risk if it gets tangled in ship propellers, rocks, or other debris.
Sharks, unlike what is widely believed, are not aggressive.
After tons of movies about them indiscriminately attacking people, you’d think Iñaki would be afraid.
Instead, the diver swam closer so he can help the shark get rid of the fishing net. He said to The Dodo that he never treated sharks like a monster. He thinks that sharks are just any other sea creature, and this one especially needs his help.
He held on to the string that hung from the shark’s mouth and yanked it gently.
The diver wanted to see how the shark would react. He carefully watched as the shark yanked back a bit. Sensing that the creature isn’t going to attack him, Iñaki starts to pull on the string harder.
To his astonishment, the shark began writhing and swinging its head as if it was removing the net from its mouth.
The diver thinks that the shark was actually helping itself when it sensed the string was finally secured.
However, Iñaki lost his grip.
After checking on his fellow divers, he signaled that he’d give it another go. He swam closer once more and yanked the string harder. This time, the shark successfully dislodges the net from its mouth.
Everybody was so happy with how things turned out. They all watched the shark swim away and face from their view. But as they were about to leave, they witnessed something truly astonishing.
The shark came back and gently swam toward them.
Another shark joined in as if celebrating with the first one. For Iñaki, it was the shark’s quiet way of expressing immense gratitude. They don’t speak the same language but somehow, both of them knew what was happening.
“Normally, they’d [sharks] do their own swimming.” He said in the video posted by The Dodo, “But this time, I truly believe that the shark, in his own way, by looking at my eyes, he was saying, ‘Thank you. You have saved my life.’”
Watch how this shark expressed its gratitude after a diver helped him get out of a fishing net.
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